Home for Halloween
by SubtlePen
Summary: Two single parents, a two year friendship, one night when everything changes, and 'home' begins to mean something new. BxE, AH, ONE SHOT. A DILF contest entry!


**Ninapolitan's D.I.L.F. Contest**

**Story Title: **_**Home for Halloween**_

**Author: SubtlePen**

**Pairing: Ed and Bella**

**Vamp or Human: Human**

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_**Home for Halloween**_

_**~* Bella Black *~**_

Friday, October 23rd

"Hey, Bella. It's Ed. I uh, hate to ask on such short notice, but I've been stuck with an extra shift tonight, and I'm hoping you don't mind watching Lily. Alice and Jasper are still in Italy, and I'm kind of in a bind. Let me know when you get this message, and I can call the school to let them know to send her home with Lucy. She has her key, if you don't mind swinging by our house so she can pack an overnight bag. Let me know as soon as you can – one of the nurses here offered to watch her if you can't, but I need to let her know pretty quick. Okay, well, yeah. Talk to you soon. Thanks, Bella. I owe you, yet again."

_Well, shit. So much for a quiet Friday with my girl. _

"Ed, it's me. I got your message, and yeah, that's fine. Lucy and I were gonna carve pumpkins tonight, and I have an extra one for Lily anyway, so we'll be well entertained. You can just swing by tomorrow whenever. Don't worry about coming by right after your shift. Go home and get some sleep, and give me a call around lunchtime or whatever. You're running up quite a tab, Masen. I'm keeping track. See ya."

My next call was to the school secretary, to drop a bug in her rear that Ed should be calling her with permission for me to pick up his daughter, just in case he got too busy at the hospital to make the call. It wasn't an uncommon arrangement; he and I had been doing this for each other for the last two years. In actuality, I watched Lily far more often than he watched Lucy, hence the need for IOU's. He tended to let his debt build up, and then he'd splurge on something big, like baseball tickets, or a day at an amusement park; something we could all enjoy together.

It was lucky for us the girls were close, otherwise they'd be sick of each other by now. It honestly felt weird not to have her sleep over at least once a week, and to share at least one meal together, the four of us. Lucy and I were otherwise on our own, more or less, and so were Ed and Lily. After Jake died, my folks and father-in-law all figured I'd move back to Forks, but I just couldn't bear the thought. He and I had built a life here, Lucy had started school, and it was bad enough going on without Jake, let alone starting from scratch if I'd gone back to Washington.

Ed and Lily were in a similar boat. His wife died of cancer about the same time as my husband's accident, going on four years now. He had a sister that helped out when she could, and she loved Lily tremendously, but her and her new husband liked to travel and had the money to afford it. His late wife's family all lived out of state, and his parents were gone. She was a beautiful child, silly and sweet; easy to be around. She and her father were both easy to be around.

I spent the rest of my afternoon finishing up paperwork, leaving my desk in tidy piles for Monday morning. I picked up the girls at school, stopped by McDonald's for dinner, and headed home. They giggled their way through carving pumpkins, and later fell asleep watching High School Musical, _again_. I carried them off to Lucy's bed, fired up the Jacuzzi and poured myself a glass of wine. Just as I was about to head outside to the tub, my cell phone rang, and I knew Lucy had been playing with my ring tones again. _Right Said Fred_? Not far from the truth, but still ridiculous. _Too sexy..._

"Hi, Ed."

"Hi. How's the girls?"

"Sleeping."

"Oh. No problems?"

"I'm ready to run HSM through my shredder, but other than that, no."

"Yeah, I think we accidentally lost our copy."

"It's nothing half a bottle of Merlot can't fix."

"You cut me deep, Black. Here I am stuck at work and you're drinking wine without me?"

"Me and my Jacuzzi, baby. Eat your heart out."

"That's just cruel."

I could almost picture him running his fingers through his crazy hair, smiling and pining for my hot tub. "You love me anyway."

"Whatever. Look, I wanted to know if we're still on for next Saturday."

"Halloween? Yeah. You play escort and I'll provide dinner."

"Are you sure we can't swap? I'm sure you'd have much more fun hittin' the streets with the girls after dark…"

"Do you know how many kinds of wrong that sounds? They're ten years old, Ed."

"God you've got a filthy mind."

"As if you don't. Besides, you can't cook for shit so, no, we can't swap. You take the girls door-to-door, and I'll make dinner. Six sharp."

"Yeah, alright. Can I bring anything?"

"Beer is fine. I'm making enchiladas, and I can almost guarantee a dizzying array of fun-size candy bars for dessert."

"Good times. Look, I've got a rig rolling in with a GSW, gotta run."

"Yep. Call me tomorrow."

The line went dead in my hand and I stood there staring at the phone wishing, for some bizarre reason, that I could wrap my arms around him and tell him to be safe. I felt warm all of a sudden, and chalked it up to the wine.

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_**~* Ed Masen *~**_

Monday, October 26th

"Do you think Bella is pretty?"

I nearly choked on my coffee. Lily had been best friends with Lucy Black for two years. Bella and I had watched each other's daughters quite a bit during that time, and I actively resisted the urge to look at Bella like _that_. Then again, it had been a long time since I'd let myself look at any woman _like that._ With Bella, I had to work at avoiding it.

"Well, that's a tough question, love. Everybody has a different idea of what pretty is. Some people like roses best, some people like daisies. But there are more important things than pretty. Being smart, and a nice person, are much more important than pretty."

"I know all that, Dad. But do you think she's _pretty_?"

"Sure, I guess she's pretty. Yeah." If I had to be brutally honest, she was _very_ pretty; _stunning_, actually. _And damn smart. And was an amazing friend. And had a wicked sense of humor. And killer legs… porcelain skin… and her eyes…_

"I think so, too. You kinda smile funny when you look at her."

"What? What are you talking about…?"

"Gotta go, Dad. I hear the bus!"

She planted a peck on my cheek and scooted out the door before I could say another word. I sat there with my mouth hanging open, wondering what on earth had just happened. I stared at my cup, wondering if Bella ever thought about _me_ that way.

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_**~* Bella Black *~**_

Saturday, October 31st

"Lucy, go get the door – I think that's them."

It was too light out for trick-or-treaters, and by the telltale squealing of two little girls, I knew I was right.

"I'm in the kitchen, Ed, come on back."

"Good god, what are you wearing?"

I spun around to face him and my jaw nearly fell off. "I could ask you the same."

"You like? I had to steal the scrubs from Radiology – they don't usually let us wear this color in the ER."

He was wearing dark burgundy scrubs, a ridiculous headband thing with red horns, and a rubbery-looking red devil's tail hanging from the back waistband of his pants.

"That's…" I had to bite my lip to keep from saying _'that's really fucking hot.'_

"Yeah, the charge nurse in Peds won a bet, and this is what I got stuck with. I thought the girls might get a kick out of it, so I left it on. What's your story?" He pulled the headband off and tossed it on the counter, rubbing behind his ears.

"Oh, this little thing? It's nothing."

"Nothing, hell. You look like Elvira's slightly nerdy little sister."

"Thanks, I think. Put the beer in the fridge, and pop one for me. Dinner's almost ready."

He handed me the beer and I took a long swig, looking him dead in the eye. He smiled and did the same. It seemed we were having a silent conversation, but I wasn't sure I understood all the words. He took a step closer and trailed the fingers of his free hand up the length of my arm from wrist to shoulder, then turned his hand to cup my cheek. "You look incredible."

It felt like the most instinctively natural thing on earth when I turned my face into his palm and kissed it – and it absolutely mortified me. I hadn't been touched by a man in almost four years, but all of a sudden Ed's hand touching my face felt like the most perfect thing in the world. He stepped closer still, and just when I thought the room couldn't get any hotter, I heard two snickering little voices, and scampering feet. I thought my face would melt off. He laughed awkwardly and shook his head, then took a step backwards. I turned to face the kitchen sink and finished my beer in one long pull.

We ate dinner at my kitchen table, complete with goofy giggles from the girls, and dramatic eye rolls from Ed and me. Afterwards, he cleaned up my kitchen while I got our girls into their costumes and ready to go.

The sun had completely set, and we'd had two rounds of kids at my front door already by the time they were ready. They were squealing and antsy to go, as if they would somehow 'miss' Halloween if they didn't go out the door _rightthisminute_. I made sure I knew what route Ed planned on taking through the neighborhood, reminded the girls of their manners, and handed Ed my maglite. I opened the door and the girls were out the door before I could think up any more delays.

Ed lingered a minute with his hand on the doorknob, watching the girls race down my driveway. "Wait for me at the curb, Lily!"

I smiled and put my hand on his forearm, intending to tell him to have fun, but he turned around and kissed me before the words left my lips. His eyes closed and his mouth shifted on mine, softer, looser, and I responded against his pillowy, smooth lips. My eyes drifted closed when I felt him sigh. He broke the kiss and ran the tip of his nose across mine. I could hear a rowdy group of kids coming up the driveway.

"Back in a couple of hours," he whispered.

"Yeah," was all I could say, rubbing my nose on his in return.

It actually _hurt_ to watch him walk away.

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_**~* Ed Masen *~**_

It took every ounce of effort I could muster to walk away from her, to not pull her into my arms and breathe her in. Something about this whole night just clicked in my head and kissing her, touching her, seemed so perfectly normal, so absolutely right, and so long overdue. She was an amazing mother, and a dear friend, and suddenly it fell into place that she was very much more to me that just that. I pulled back, squeezing her hand once before I walked away. She stood with one hand braced on the door jamb, with a small smile growing on the lush lips I'd just kissed. I felt all the air in my lungs leave with a whoosh – I hadn't realized I was holding my breath, but I must have been. All I knew was that it was a relief to see her smile after what I'd just done, and it made me hope she'd maybe let me do it again.

The girls were hopping up and down at the curb, as if they'd already eaten their weight in candy. They were easily within sight of Bella's front door, and I silently cursed myself. I'd never had to worry about getting caught like that before; the last woman I'd kissed like that had been my wife. It certainly didn't seem to faze the girls, so I shrugged it off for the time being. They ran off hand in hand up the block, and I spent the next two hours herding them from one house to the next, wishing each one was the last.

By the time most of the porch lights in the neighborhood were being turned off, I was desperate to get back to Bella. We made our way back to her house and found her blowing out the candles in her jack-o-lanterns.

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_**~* Bella Black *~**_

I watched him walk down the driveway towards our girls, feeling a familiar, but long dormant, ache. He was physically beautiful. He had a _man's_ body, not some twenty-something twink's. He had broad shoulders, a wide chest, strong legs and, god help me, a bubble ass. I'd found it amazing that he hadn't yet remarried, or even dated. He was an affectionate, attentive father, a wonderful friend, and a true family man. His wife had been a lucky woman. When he kissed me just then, it did something to me, more than when he touched me in the kitchen, more than any of the myriad offhand flirtations we'd exchanged, and I hoped he felt it, too. I had no idea where this was headed, but I hated the thought of ruining our two-year friendship, or Lily and Lucy's, over a meaningless tryst.

I sat on the porch with a blanket on my lap, handing out candy to all the little super heroes, princesses and monsters in a twenty-block radius, including a few older kids who had no business trick-or-treating. I gave them candy anyway, knowing that if I didn't I'd likely find the front of my house covered in either eggs or rotting pumpkin come tomorrow morning. Some things never change.

When the candy ran out, I turned off the porch light and put away my lawn chair and blanket, then went back outside for the pumpkins. Ed and the girls were slowly dragging their way up the driveway, candy buckets overflowing.

"Alright ladies, baths, jammies, bed." My directive was met with groans and complaints.

"You said we could watch Nightmare!"

"Fine, fine. Baths, jammies, Jack Skellington, bed."

"Here, let me help you with those." Ed picked up the largest of the pumpkins.

"Thanks. Garage, please." He nodded and took care of all three.

He made a batch of popcorn while I helped the girls get ready for bed. I changed into pajama pants and a tee, and we dragged a pile of blankets and pillows onto the living room floor. The girls sprawled out like queens. Edward and I sat with our backs against the front of the couch, closer together than we normally did, sharing a bowl of popcorn. I elbowed him for hogging the bowl and he stuck out his tongue, pulling the bowl farther away. I kicked his shin under our shared blanket, earning me fake cries of agony. I laughed at his pretend tears, and he grabbed me in a head-lock, pressing his knuckles into my scalp. I tried to swat his hands away, but resorted to jabbing my fingers into his armpit, making him flinch. I eventually realized the girls had taken a keen interest in our wrestling match and had actually paused the movie. Edward and I looked up at them like a couple of teenagers caught making out. The next thing I knew, he'd grabbed Lucy's ankle and started tickling her feet. Lily pounced on him to defend my daughter, and I started tickling her ribs. The four of us ended up in a giggling, tangled pile, panting for breath. We finished the movie with his arm behind my neck and my head on his broad shoulder, the girls' heads in our laps. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, absentmindedly finger-combing his daughter's hair.

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_**~* Ed Masen *~**_

She tucked the girls in, and I started folding blankets. It was late, and I'd probably overstayed my welcome. I wasn't ready to call it a night, but I didn't want to push my luck. She came back into the family room, rubbing her eyes.

"Where should I put these?"

"Oh, here." She motioned me to follow her into her room, where she pointed at the antique trunk at the foot of her bed. "There." I nodded and put them away. I turned around and knocked an armful of pillows out of her hands, and had to catch her to keep her from landing on her ass. Before I knew what was happening, I had my arms around her waist, and my lips on her throat.

"Ed…?"

"Oh, Jesus, Bella… I'm…" I pulled away immediately, turning from her, scrubbing my hands over my face, struggling to figure out in that whirlwind moment _what the fuck_ I'd been thinking. "…I'm sorry. I… I need to go."

Just as I spun towards the door, barely keeping my balance, I felt her hand on my forearm. I made a half-hearted attempt to free myself, but when her fingers drifted down to twine with mine, I froze.

"Edward, wait."

I couldn't bear to see the look on her face, certain it would be pity, or disgust, or anger for coming on so strong. She squeezed my hand with her own, and then pulled me back to her. I covered my face with my hand, still stunned by my own foolish impulse, wishing she'd just get it over with and let me go. She stepped in front of me and ducked low to catch my eyes, still holding my hand. She reached up to touch my face with her other hand, and kissed me; delicately, tenderly, the tiniest tip of her tongue brushing the center of my upper lip.

Without taking her lips from mine, she whispered "stay."

I was powerless before that fragile command, completely weakened by the slender fingers touching my face, consumed by the need to know if she felt it, too.

"Oh, Bella…"

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_**~* Bella Black *~**_

Whatever it was, whatever I felt when his lips locked onto my neck, it was more powerful than any physical pull I'd ever experienced. It was intensely sexual, but it was infinitely more. The broken sob of his voice when he pulled away tore at me from heart to hip like a convulsion, there was no way I could let him leave, no way I would let that be the last sound uttered between us without figuring out what this feeling was. I pulled him back to me, my strength clearly no match for his physical mass, but somehow I mustered the ability to stop him from running away.

I kissed him, trying to convey my need to understand, and that I wanted him to stay not just to sate some rampant lust, but because it felt _right_, _he_ felt right, _we_ felt right. "Stay."

I felt him melt into me with that one word. Even with his eyes closed, I saw relief soften his face. His shoulders dropped, and his arms folded around me like they'd belonged there all my life.

"Oh, Bella… god, it feels so right to have my arms around you."

"I know." I couldn't pull him close enough, couldn't inhale enough of his scent, couldn't kiss enough of his skin. As intense as the moment was, my hands and lips were slow, thorough. He held me tightly, one hand tangled in my hair, the other low on the small of my back. I wrapped one ankle around his calf, and he bent down just enough to lift me. I wrapped my legs around his hips, my hands fisted in the back of his shirt, drawing my breath from his, my heart pounding with his.

He groaned, hesitating. "I need more than this, Bella. I can't just fuck you and walk away and pretend that's all this is… there's more here. I can feel it. Please tell me it's more than just this, for you."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, resting my forehead on his. "I feel it, too, and I can't explain it."

He carried me to my bed and lay me down, crawling onto it above me, scooting us back towards the center, giving us more room, anchoring us. He slowly tucked one hand under the hem of my shirt, and his hand was throbbing fire on my skin, his fingertips following the curve of my ribs, his thumb teasing the bottom of my breast. I brought my hand to his and showed him how to touch me, begged him to touch me. His panting breath fanned across my neck as his hand covered my breast. He closed his eyes, a low moan escaping his lips as I slid my other hand down the back of his scrubs. My thighs clamped down around the one leg he'd pressed between them and I felt myself shamelessly grinding my pelvis against his hip, his erection thick and heavy between us. For a long time the only sounds in the room was our heavy breathing, the wet sounds of our lips, and the sigh of skin on skin as we acquainted ourselves with each others' bodies. Before we shed the last articles of clothing that separated us, he hesitated.

"It's been a long time for me, Bella."

"Me too."

"Tell me again it's more than just this, for you."

"I've only ever given myself in marriage, Ed. Only to someone I loved very much."

"I took my vows very seriously, Bella. With anyone else this would feel like I was cheating on her, but with you, it feels right. You feel like home, in my arms."

He was right. That word, _home_, expressed it perfectly. We'd been building one, between us, for two years. Our friendship, our children, our banter and playfulness, supporting each other, being there for each other; I couldn't go a day without hearing his voice, or I felt empty. He and Lily and Lucy and I had become a family, had created a home within each other. Comfort, security, affection, shelter.

I loved him, certainly, and his daughter as well. He was my friend. But I realized, thinking about _home_ and what that meant, that I _loved_ him.

I loved _him_.

My heart was leaping in my chest when I spoke next.

"Make love with me, Ed."

He nodded and leaned away to peel off the remaining barriers between our bodies, then came back to me, nestling between my legs without fanfare. I smoothed the silk of his hair back from his face, and he kissed me, entering me slowly; stretching me, completing me. We moved together quietly, mindful of the two girls sleeping at the other end of the hall, but a searing intensity bubbled beneath the surface of our restraint. My nails raked his back, and he whispered the filthiest things in my ear until I could barely breathe. He moved powerfully, using his whole body to press into me, to hold me secure and make our bodies one. There was nothing fancy about it, although he whispered of things to come, delights we would share in the future, touches and tastes and sensations yet to be experienced, of the years we had ahead of us to discover each other. I came, long and rolling, just before he did, with a silly smile on his face. I instantly wanted to see it again.

"God, you feel good."

I smiled to myself, agreeing with him. He crumpled at my side, burrowing his face into the crook of my neck, softly snoring within minutes. I lay there quite a while, touching his face, enjoying the feel of his breath fanning across my chest, his arm heavy across my waist, and the hairy tickle of his leg between mine. I fell asleep wondering what the girls would think.

***x*x*x*x*x***

"Wake up, mom!"

I clutched the sheet to my chest, noting that I was still nude, and alone in my bed. Lucy was standing beside the bed, hopping up and down, and I heard Lily giggling in the hallway. Ed must have gotten up and left some time during the night, and the thought made me sad.

"I'm coming, baby doll. Give me a minute, okay? Have you guys been up long?"

"Nope. Hurry up. It's time for breakfast."

"Figure out what you want, and I'll be there in a few minutes."

She laughed and skipped out the door, closing it behind her.

I rolled out of bed, relishing an unaccustomed ache in disused muscles. I took a quick shower, hating to wash him off my skin. The girls were still giggling in the living room when I finally emerged from my room, and I wondered if they'd already been at the Halloween candy. I stopped dead in my tracks when another voice joined theirs.

"Blueberry?" he asked.

"Chocolate chip!" they chimed.

"Chocolate chip pancakes it is."

I rounded the corner and found him standing at my pantry, wearing a clean tee shirt and a pair of running shorts, his hair damp.

"Well, it's about time, sleepyhead. Hope you don't mind me coming over this morning; you made such a great dinner last night I thought I'd come over and try my hand at breakfast for you. Is that okay?"

"Uh, sure, Ed." I made my way to the coffee maker and poured a cup, not sure how to respond in front of the girls.

"You guys go play, and I'll call you when the pancakes are ready." He ruffled my daughter's hair and swatted Lily's behind.

"Okay!" They trotted off down the hall to Lucy's room and I stifled a laugh.

I felt warm arms snake around my middle, and I smiled into my mug of coffee.

He placed a kiss behind my ear. "I had my gym bag in my car, and got up to shower before the girls woke up."

I set my cup down and turned to face him. He leaned against me with his hips, pinning me back against the counter. We kissed, slow and sweet. I wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my cheek on his chest.

"You should just stay over next time, Ed. Sleepovers are fun. You could bring your sleeping bag." My daughter's voice shocked us both and he pushed away from me.

"Lucy…" I stammered, but Ed cut me off.

"How would you feel about that, Luce? If your mom and I started spending a lot more time together?"

Lily came into the kitchen and the girls looked at each other and smiled. "Fine with me," the girls said simultaneously, running back towards Lucy's bedroom again.

Ed and I looked at each other. My mouth was hanging open, and the corners of his crept up into a sly grin.

"It is really going to be that easy?" I asked.

He held my face in his warm, smooth hands and kissed me. "Probably not. But I'll take it for starters, and we'll deal with the rest as it comes."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him close.

"…as long as I've got your arms," he whispered.

I looked up at him and smiled. "Welcome home."

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A/N: Awww! thanks to Ninapolitan for inspiring this little bit of fluff. Check out all the other DILF contest entries, and leave me some love of you liked sweet daddy Dr. DevilWard...

fanfiction (dot) net/community/The_Twilight_D_I_L_F_Contest/73528/


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